Journalist Margarito Martines was assassinated with U.S.-made weapons and ten suspects have been arrested

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Five people were arrested for being allegedly responsible for the murder of photojournalist Margarito Martínez Esquivel, ‘El 4-4’. This was reported by the head of Mexico’s National Defense Department (SEDENA), Luis Cresencio Sandoval González.

He specified that, at the time of the arrest, the alleged perpetrators were in possession of USA-made weapons and drugs.

This arrest was carried out through a series of intelligence work by an inter-institutional group,” the official said. He explained that SEDENA, the Secretary of Security and Citizen Protection (SSPC), the Secretary of the Navy (SEMAR), the National Anti-kidnapping Coordination (CONASE), as well as the National Intelligence Center (CNI) and the National Guard participated in the operative. The operation was carried out during the early hours of this Friday in Tijuana, Baja California, where the crime occurred.

On January 17 when Martínez Esquivel was shot to death outside his house in Tijuana, Baja California, his murder generated protests from members of the press who demanded justice for Margarito Martinez.

Days before his deat, an online blogger, started a verbal argument with Martinez while recording his face on video and exposing Martinez as the video /photo journalist who ran three news websites covering cartels’ crimes with tips given to Maetinez by local police.

Martinez worked covering as a “fixer” assisting local and international news outlets including the BBC, as well as The Times and the San Diego Union-Tribune covering crime in states that are still controlled by the former regime (political party) that ruled mexico for 70 years PRI. In the elections of 2019, a new party, MORENA, overthrew the regime that became corrupt and constantly acused of colluding with cartels and organized crime.

Within less than a month after Martinez death, the new government of Mexico captured ten suspects in connection with the murder of Matinez.

President of Mexico Lopez Obrador’s administration brings a new light to a country that have been through three decades of impunity, after a 36 years of neoliberalism which Lopez Obrador repeatedly have said it was an economic model and ideology that is synonymous with corruption and devastated Mexico.

Sources LATimes

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